Since I quit my alcohol habit almost nine months ago, I’ve had a lot more time, money and energy available (imagine that?). In lieu of my previously ever-present wine glass, I’ve started playing Solitaire on my phone. To my surprise, the simple game offers some applicable life lessons. I’ll share them here as a reminder for myself, and because maybe they’ll encourage some of you.
1. Breathe. I don’t know about you, but when I’m in competition-mode, I forget to breathe. This also applies to deadlines, driving, and conflict. I’m not alone, most of us don’t breathe effectively when stressed or busy, which means we aren’t getting enough oxygen to our brains and we feel even more stressed. In these multiple games of Solitaire, which is neither dangerous or costs me anything but spare time, I notice that the longer I forget to breathe because I’m hurrying up to get a higher score, the more mistakes I make and card placements I miss. Lesson? Take a deep breath, especially when you start to feel pressed or stressed. Breathing improves performance, whether in a game or at work.
2. It’s OK to quit, and sometimes quitters win. Now, start humming “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers and sing along — “You’ve got to know when to hold’em, know when to fold’em, know when to walk away, know when to run…” Some games of Solitaire, like some situations in life, are simply unwinnable. By nature I’m stubborn and competitive, and I’m slowly learning to trust myself again. As a result, I’ll flip through the deck again and again, thinking something is going to change, even when I know it’s not. By accident, I figured out that as soon as I realize all the cards have been placed that can be placed, it’s time to quit. The earlier you quit when the game is unwinnable, the more points you get. Hmmm. Definite life lesson there. Something along the lines of accepting the things you cannot change, changing the things you can and the wisdom to know the difference, right?
3. Enjoy what you’re doing. Simple pleasures really do increase your happiness. Find your joy where you can, whether it’s watching high school sports, petting a dog, reading a book, taking a walk, learning a new craft, or playing a silly game on your phone. Find your joy, revel in it, and spread it around like glitter. We need more of it.
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If your paper was late last week (or you didn’t get one), it’s because the bulk of our subscriber copies went AWOL from the back dock of the Meeker Post Office. After tossing around more than a handful of paranoid conspiracy theories, we were relieved to learn the papers had mistakenly been picked up by one of the USPS drivers and spent the night in Craig. Whew! Human error is highly preferable to malicious intent. A huge thank you to everyone who took up the “case” and went searching!
By NIKI TURNER – editor@editorht1885.com
